Little Lonely
by NeverUnderestimateWords
Summary: Building up to her fifth birthday, Morgan is feeling a little lost but her family and friends are there for her.


While Morgan might only be four, she was the daughter of Tony and Pepper Stark, so she was a sharp cookie for her age. So she noticed how things changed around her house after her mommy sat her down and tearfully told her that Morgan's daddy wouldn't be coming back, that he got hurt and was gone.

It was odd to Morgan that now almost everyday a person besides her mom came to visit. Before her daddy left, it was only Morgan, her mom, and her dad, with Uncles Happy and Rhodey being the only people she knew. Now, she knew many people, who would knock on their door, sometimes bringing a toy for Morgan, and would then spend a few hours playing with her or talking with her mommy. Some were better playmates than others but Morgan grew to like them all.

Still, the house may have seen more people, but Morgan knew that it was different. Her mom cried more. Daddy's mug was no longer on the counter and his fancy table that she wasn't supposed to touch was covered in a blanket that made a perfect fort. She had more toys, which all of her playmates brought her, like a stuffed hammer and a pink knife (from Aunt Neb but Morgan's mommy quickly took it away) but it was somehow less fun; she missed her dad but wished he could be there along with all of her new friends.

* * *

A week before Morgan's fifth birthday, Uncle Rhodey had made her a little countdown made of red paper, so she would know when her party was. Each day Morgan got more excited, no longer content to play with a toy for more than five minutes before bursting out with joy. Somehow Morgan saw Pepper get sadder and she would sit on the porch for hours, as Morgan splashed in the lake, then played with the slime her friend Peter brought her, then read a book.

Still, Morgan was five so she didn't take to heart her mom's sadness.

The night before her birthday she couldn't close her eyes. Carefully, Morgan sat up and looked at the window: it was still dark so she was supposed to stay in bed. But... the little girl pushed back her blanket and got out of bed, peeking through her door. The light under her mom's door was still on, so Morgan carefully tiptoed downstairs. Suddenly, she stopped. For a second, Morgan stood on the stairs.

If she woke up in the middle of the night, her daddy would normally be up playing with the table, building something for Uncle Rhodey or a new thing with a name too long for her to say. But the table was covered and the lights were off. Something in Morgan twisted. She knew dying meant he couldn't come back but still Morgan's lip quivered.

"What are you doing up?" a soft voice came from the hall that went to the guest room. Uncle Happy had stayed over the night before and he slipped out toward Morgan.

"Not tired," Morgan whispered, her eyes still looking back at the table.

Happy made a humming sound. "Excited for your birthday or something else?"

"Who's coming to my party?" the little girl asked, finally looking away from where her daddy should've been. But wasn't.

"I'm not sure, but I know Rhodey, Peter, Harvey, May are all coming," Happy answered, even though he had told her that just five hours before at supper. "Do you want a snack?"

Perking up, Morgan nodded, following to the kitchen where Happy began checking for food.

He opened the freezer and offered her a popsicle but the little girl shook her head. Happy assumed nothing but Morgan felt a pang at the popsicles. Those were for her and daddy. No one else.

The two ate some pretzels in quiet before Happy offered to tuck Morgan back in but she shook her head again and made her way to bed.

Laying beneath her blankets, her stuffed hammer tucked in her arms, Morgan looked at the little stars on her ceiling. Drifting off, Morgan dreamed of her daddy coming to her party.

The next morning, Morgan was full of enthusiasm once again. Her mom and uncle sang to her the first happy birthday of the day before breakfast. The morning felt too long as only Rhodey arrived before lunch, which was her favorite meal, hamburgers with lots and lots of cheese. Just after finishing her milk, the doorbell rang and before any of the adults could stand, Morgan was pelting to the door.

"Happy birthday!" offered one of her newest friends. She didn't know his name, he didn't come often after all, but he brought a big gift wrapped neatly with a glittery bow so Morgan didn't care.

"Scott," Rhodey greeted from above Morgan's head as she ran to put the present by the little rocking chair she always sat on that was already surrounded by several presents.

After him, others began to arrive. Morgan saw her friend Harvey, who gave her an unwrapped skateboard and yoyo when seeing her at the door. Harvey was one of Morgan's favorites, because he played with marshmallow guns with her.

Next, the green one and the Bartons showed up. Morgan was electric, racing from the door to her chair and back to the amusement of the adults. No frown touched her face to Pepper's watching gaze.

To everyone's surprise, Thor and Aunt Neb showed up. Soon after Peter and his aunt.

Quickly, the house was filled; the guests gathering to talk but Morgan snuck to the side. With gleaming eyes, Morgan shifted through the presents, inspecting the wrapping of each one.

"Nah-uh," a voice came from behind her and a gentle poke to her back. Morgan whirled to see Peter kneeling behind her. "That's cheating."

"No its not," she shot back. "It's my birthday! These are mine." Her dark eyes narrowed and a little smirk graced her face. She didn't notice his sharp inhale of breath at her appearance that for a second mirrored her father's perfectly.

Forcing a mischievous smile on his face, Peter reached for the present he brought. "Well, if you're going to snoop-" Morgan stuck out her tongue at him with a smile. "Better open mine first."

Delighted, Morgan sat on her chair taking the gift. Without hesitation, she pulled the wrapping paper from the top of the bag. Inside, a little mask sat, white but familiar. She didn't have time to think of it before her mom announced that Morgan had apparently decided to begin unwrapping the gifts.

The moment passed to quickly to Morgan's mind. By nightfall, everyone but Peter and May had left, with the two women chatting with mugs on the porch and Peter helping Morgan free her toys from their boxes and plastic.

"This is like daddy's," Morgan realized, when the two reached Peter's present at the bottom of the pile. In her tiny hands lay a mask that was like her mommy and daddy's, except it was only the front half and when Morgan put it on she could actually see out of it. All of a sudden she wondered where her daddy's helmet went (unbeknownst to her, Pepper kept it beside her bed).

"Did you know why your daddy wore a mask?" Peter said lightly, still working on the zip ties that kept one of Pepper's gift in its hold.

"Mommy says he was a hero," she said, slightly mispronouncing the word hero.

"Now you can have a mask too," he looked up, and Morgan saw his eyes were shiny like when mommy was about to cry. "You'll be a great hero."

Morgan lifted the mask to rub her nose and asked, "Are you a hero?"

A tear slipped from the corner of Peter's eye before he looked down. "I think so. Your daddy helped me be one." He paused before saying under his breath, "it's hard being a hero alone."

Keenly, Morgan picked up on what he said with a frown. "You just said I'm a hero and I'm right here."

"Sometimes you might have people next to you and still feel like your by yourself," Peter said distantly, believing that the words had too much impact for Morgan.

Though most of the meaning did go over Morgan's head, it made some sense. She didn't stay on those words long though. "What kind of hero will I be?"

A grin broke out on Peter's flushed face. "I'm thinking you could be my sidekick first. Come on." Softly, he led her to the kitchen where underneath a cupboard a little package clumsily wrapped in packing paper sat. "May hid this one, so it can be a secret only between us." Peter winked and Morgan giggled, as she tore off the paper.

Inside was a red costume lined with black and blue. Morgan tilted her head.

"There pajamas that I found," the teen said sheepishly, though he was only speaking to a kid who didn't understand what the suit meant. "You see, I have a bigger pair of those and we can match. You can be my sidekick, with your mask and pajamas, until I become yours," he offered, nudging her shoulder.

"I'm gonna go put them on and you should put your's on," Morgan said, beginning to make her way to her room, while Peter smiled sadly and grabbed the other item he hid under there- his real Spiderman suit.

In the light of the porch and the stars, Pepper and May both started to laugh as the two stepped out, both in red and blue but with one wearing a mask similar to Iron Man's and another that was truly Spiderman's. Pepper leaned back in her chair, smile lines taking over the worry lines for that moment.

"My little hero," chuckled Pepper, wrapping Morgan up in a hug and pressing a kiss to the plastic. "You'll have to wait to fight crime until your older, though." Her voice was airy with a hint of seriousness and a raised eyebrow to Peter, who dutifully nodded. "Now, it's time for bed."

Morgan pushed back from her mother's embrace, drooping a little. "But I'm a viga-" Morgan stuttered, a little crease forming underneath the mask. "A veg-... a viga-."

Innocently, Peter offered, "a vigilante?"

May, who had placed a hand on his arm, swatted it and then shared a look with Pepper.

"Well, I did say cookies, didn't I?" Pepper said, scooping the gleeful girl up.

After they had a snack and Morgan had hugged Peter and May goodbye and was tucked in, Morgan looked at the mask on her floor. Carefully, she crept down and picked the mask up, placing it next to her bed. Her eyes flickered close, with a warm feeling in her chest.

* * *

**Author's Note: So another angsty Marvel fic. Do I ever write any actual plot? No. No, I do not.**


End file.
